Peter T. Washburn

Infobox Governor
name= Peter T. Washburn


caption=
order=31^st
office= Governor of Vermont
term_start= 1869
term_end= 1870
lieutenant= George W. Hendee
predecessor= John B. Page
successor=George W. Hendee
birth_date= birth date|1814|9|7|mf=y
birth_place= Lynn, Massachusetts
death_date= death date and age|1870|2|7|1814|9|7|mf=y
death_place= Woodstock, Vermont
spouse= Almira E. Ferris / Almira P. Hopkins
profession= attorney / politician
party= Republican

Peter Thacher Washburn (September 7, 1814 - February 7, 1870) was a lawyer, politician and Adjutant and Inspector General of the State of Vermont during the American Civil War.

Early life

Washburn was born in Lynn, Massachusetts, the son of Judge Reuben & Hannah Blaney (Thatcher) Washburn of Cavendish, Vermont. He graduated from Dartmouth College in 1835, began practicing law in Ludlow in January 1839, and moved to Woodstock in 1844, where he lived for the remainder of his life. In 1844 he was elected reporter of the decisions of the Vermont Supreme Court, a position he held for eight years. He represented Woodstock in the General Assembly of Vermont in 1853 and 1854. He served as chairman of the Vermont delegation to the Republican National Convention in 1860.

Civil War

Washburn had served as colonel of a Vermont militia regiment from 1837 until 1841, and at the outbreak of the Civil War, he commanded the Woodstock Light Infantry company, which became Company B, 1st Vermont Infantry.

He was commissioned lieutenant colonel of the 1st Vermont Infantry on May 9, 1861. He commanded the regiment during nearly all of its three months of service at Fortress Monroe and Newport News, Virginia, leading five companies of the 1st Vermont and five from the 4th Massachusetts infantry at the battle of Big Bethel on June 10, 1861. He was mustered out with his regiment on August 15, 1861.

In October 1861, he was elected Adjutant and Inspector-General of Vermont, with rank of Brigadier-General. During his tenure, he sent into the field seven infantry regiments, 1st cavalry regiment, three batteries of light artillery, two companies of sharpshooters and two companies of frontier cavalry. In 1866, Washburn was succeeded by Brevet Major General William Wells, late of the 1st Vermont Cavalry, as Adjutant and Inspector General.

Postwar career

Washburn was elected governor in September 1869, but died on February 7, 1870, apparently of a nervous breakdown. [Linda M. Welch, Dartmouth College, historian of southern Windsor County, Vermont.]

Governor Washburn was twice married, first to Almira E. Ferris of Swanton, Vermont, and second to Almira P. Hopkins of Glens Falls, New York.

ee also

* Vermont in the Civil War

References

* Benedict, G. G., "Vermont in the Civil War. A History of the part taken by the Vermont Soldiers And Sailors in the War For The Union, 1861-5." Burlington, VT.: The Free Press Association, 1888.

* Peck, Theodore S., compiler, "Revised Roster of Vermont Volunteers and lists of Vermonters Who Served in the Army and Navy of the United States During the War of the Rebellion, 1861-66. Montpelier, VT.: Press of the Watchman Publishing Co., 1892, pp. 5-9, 744.

* Ullery, Jacob G., compiler, "Men of Vermont: An Illustrated Biographical History of Vermonters and Sons of Vermont," Brattleboro, VT: Transcript Publishing Company, 1894, part 1, p. 99.

* Waite, Otis F. R., "Vermont in the Great Rebellion: Containing historical and biographical Sketches, etc.," Claremont, NH: Tracy, Chase, 1869, pp. 256-8.

Notes